US teacher rips off 8-year-old girl's hijab, fired

New York, May 10: A teacher at a US school has been fired after he allegedly ripped the hijab off an 8-year-old girl's head for "misbehaving" in class.

Oghenetega Edah, 31, demanded that the girl at the Bennington School, Bronx, take off her religious scarf, police said.

The girl was misbehaving in class and sitting in the teacher's chair without his permission. So the teacher tapped her on her arm to get her to move, The New York Post reported.

When she did not comply, Edah, a subsitute, threatened to take the scarf.

"I'm taking it off," he said as he pulled the hijab off her head, causing an injury to her right eye, according to police.

Doctors at Jacobi Hospital determined that the girl's cornea was not damaged.

"This alleged behaviour is completely unacceptable," Michael Aciman, a Department of Education spokesman, said in a statement.

"This individual was removed from the school immediately and his employment has been terminated," he said.

Edah became a per diem substitute teacher in January 2017, the report said. His termination was effective May 3.

The incident that took place last week was under investigation, police said. The Department of Investigation was also looking into it.

Parents at the school say the ill-tempered substitute only worked at Bennington for a short while.

"It's crazy...I just feel like teachers are supposed to control their anger a little bit more. That's why they're there. To teach and be calm. They're supposed to be patient. That's your job," Yvarie Ortiz, a parent of a first-grader at the school said.

The incident comes amid growing incidents of hate and assaults on hijab-wearing girls and women across the US.

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US attempted 93 ‘regime change’ operations across the world since 1946, admits envoy

News Network

December 7,2025

Since 1946, the United States has attempted 93 coups or “regime change” operations across the world — including two in Iran, US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack has admitted.

Speaking to the UAE-based IMI Media Group, in remarks published by The National, Barrack said Washington tried twice to overthrow the Iranian government but failed both times.

“For (Trump) then to be imputed with regime change — we had two regime changes in Iran already. Neither one worked. So I think wisely leave it to the region to solve,” said Barrack, who also serves as the US ambassador to Turkey.

His comments come six months after the US joined Israel in airstrikes against Iran during ongoing indirect nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington.

On June 13, Israel launched an attack on Iran that killed at least 1,064 people and hit civilian infrastructure. Days later, the United States targeted three nuclear facilities — Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan — in what Iran called a clear violation of international law. Iranian retaliation eventually forced a halt to the assault on June 24.

Barrack further claimed that US President Donald Trump and Foreign Secretary Marco Rubio are “not into regime change” and prefer a regional approach driven by Middle Eastern countries themselves. According to him, regional dialogue and non-interference by outside powers offer a more durable path forward.

He added that Washington is still open to an agreement with Tehran if Iranian authorities show “seriousness” and willingness to engage constructively.

However, Iran maintains the US has not shown readiness for meaningful talks. In an interview with Japan’s Kyodo News, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said negotiations could advance only if Washington acknowledges Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy and lifts unilateral sanctions.

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